A few years ago Brandt Maxwell, a National Weather Service meteorologist, felt "dismayed at the paltry knowledge of geography that most Americans have" and began writing Largest U.S. Cities to Be Named After a Food ... and Other Mind-Boggling Geography Lists from Around the World. His first book appeared this month, published by Santa Monica Press, a small publisher (but not POD). Maxwell said 20% of the first press run of 5,000 copies was already sold to the Discovery Stores. What's more interesting is that he did this without an agent by sending out material to 50 publishers. "I thought I might have a chance with them, often because they'd published a book with some sort of geographical or trivia theme," Maxwell said. Only one other publisher was interested but passed on his book. The publicity tour begins in San Diego next week and continues in Maxwell's home town of Lawrence, KS, in January. Publishers Weekly gave the book a good review, saying the "surprising facts" will appeal to "geography aficionados and trivia buffs" (like 32-year-old Maxwell, who's already visited all the U.S. states and over 50 countries). Read some of it on his website.
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